Outstanding Public Relations Campaigns in Alaska Win PRSA Awards

Published: June 10, 2010

Southcentral Foundation and Rasmuson Foundation Gain National Recognition for Innovation and Creativity

ANCHORAGE, AK (June 8, 2010) - Last week, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) held its annual Silver Anvil Awards Ceremony in New York City. Southcentral Foundation and Rasmuson Foundation, both of Alaska, were among the honorees at this top industry event.

The Silver Anvil Awards recognize outstanding achievement in planning, implementing and evaluating strategic public relations campaigns. The winners must demonstrate exemplary professional skill, creativity and resourcefulness. This year, PRSA received 823 entries, and presented awards to 134 finalists.

Southcentral Foundation received a Silver Anvil Award of Excellence for its 12th Annual Gathering, in the category of "Events and Observances - Seven or fewer days." Southcentral Foundation hosts its annual gathering as a way to bring employees, partners and customers together to learn about healthy lifestyles in a fun environment, reflecting the organization's mission statement, "Working together with the Native Community to achieve wellness through health and related services." Approximately 2,000 people attended the gathering in 2009.

PRSA awarded a Silver Anvil Award of Excellence to Rasmuson Foundation in the category of "Integrated Communications - Government, Associations or Nonprofits" for its Alaska PFD Charitable Giving Campaign, Pick. Click. Give. The campaign was a collaboration between Rasmuson Foundation and four agencies: Nerland Agency, KD/PR - Kathy Day Public Relations, Conversity and the Foraker Group. Using a multi-channel communications strategy, Pick. Click. Give. was able to nearly double the number of Alaskans making charitable contributions to qualified nonprofits than in the first year of the program. Preliminary results showed that 9,543 individuals supported the causes they care about when they filed online for their 2010 Permanent Fund Dividend. Alaskans made 14,264 donations totaling $927,075 between January 1 and May 31.

"The Award of Excellence recognizes top public relations programs in our industry," said James J. Roop, APR, Fellow PRSA, 2010 Awards and Honors Committee chair. "To receive an Award of Excellence, programs must be of Silver Anvil caliber and represent some of the finest strategic and creative thinking in our profession."

In the 60-plus-year history of the Silver Anvils, solo practitioners, agencies of all sizes, large and small businesses, top corporations, nonprofits, associations and government agencies have received this recognition from PRSA.

Established in 1982, SCF's mission is to work together with the Native Community to achieve wellness through health and related services. The nonprofit health care affiliate of Cook Inlet Region, Inc., SCF has grown in its 27 years, from a single dental clinic to an internationally recognized, award-winning health care organization that employs more than 1,400 people and administers a budget of more than $181 million annually to manage more than 60 health care programs and services.

The Rasmuson Foundation was created in May 1955 by Jenny Rasmuson to honor her late husband "E.A." Rasmuson. The Foundation is a catalyst to promote a better life for all Alaskans.